Inside Meta's Secret Restructuring Plan
Mark Zuckerberg developed a secret initiative known as Project OT, or Organization Transformation, which aimed to replace large swaths of the Meta workforce with artificial intelligence. Documents indicate the plan sought to reduce standard team sizes from 10 to 20 people down to 3 to 5 staff members, who would then manage AI agents to perform the bulk of the work. The goal was to build a leaner, more automated company capable of handling its massive operations with fewer human employees.
The initiative involved aggressive internal targets. Execution plans mapped out two distinct phases of layoffs, with an initial reduction scheduled for May 2026 and a second wave intended for November 2026. Meta also implemented new software tools designed to track employee activity and evaluate performance, explicitly seeking to identify 'irreplacable talent'—individuals capable of executing massive workloads through AI assistance. The company effectively stopped filling open roles and shifted focus toward culling poor performers to clear the way for this shift.
The Internal Revolt and Public Backlash
Plans for Project OT suffered significant setbacks following employee pushback and legal challenges. News of the impending layoffs triggered widespread anger across the company. More than two dozen employees filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that the company used its internal AI tools to unfairly target individuals, including those with disabilities, for termination. The reliance on AI to dictate staffing decisions created deep distrust within the organization.
Security and technical failures also undermined the project. Reports emerged of service disruptions and potential data leaks linked to the aggressive deployment of experimental AI agents. Internal sentiment surveys showed a sharp decline in morale, with approval ratings dropping from 74% to 55%. Staff members used company communication channels to mock executives and voice their concerns about job security, making it clear that the technical shift was incompatible with the existing workplace culture.
Shifting Course and Future Outlook
Facing both legal pressure and internal instability, Zuckerberg changed his strategy. During a town hall meeting in July 2026, the CEO acknowledged that AI agent technology had not advanced as quickly as he hoped. He pivoted his rhetoric, framing Meta as a company focused on human-centric innovation. He insisted that the goal is to put powerful tools into the hands of billions, rather than simply automating existing jobs.
Meta officials maintain that Project OT was a scenario-planning exercise rather than a rigid mandate. They argue that not every scenario was intended for implementation. In a statement, the company noted that it ultimately moved thousands of employees to priority teams rather than following through with the most drastic layoff projections. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the limits of automation in a major corporation. Industry observers now watch to see if Meta can recover its internal culture while maintaining its aggressive pursuit of artificial intelligence.